Assessing memory retention in honeybees for effective detection of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Chinkangsadarn Suwimol1,2, Mendez Canid Nefertiti1, Kafle Lekhnath1,* Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, 912, Taiwan 1Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, 912, Taiwan 2Faculty of Animal Sciences and Agricultural Technology, Silpakorn University, Phetchaburi, 76120, Thailand *Corresponding authors' E-mail : kafle@mail.npust.edu.tw
Online published on 20 December, 2024. Abstract Effective early detection and surveillance are crucial for mitigating of fire ant spread; however, these processes require specialized expertise and are often time- and labor-intensive. Previous studies reported that honeybees (Apis mellifera) could detect and distinguish this ant through olfactory learning of proboscis extension response. Understanding memory retention and recall in bees vital for practical applications present study investigates memory retention in bees conditioned with the odor of dead minor worker of S. invicta. Results indicated that honeybees could retain this odor for up to 4 days, with no significant differences in responses among days 1, 2, 3, and 4. Responses at each time point were not significantly different from the final conditioning trial and significantly higher than the novel odor. Due to the increase in bee mortality rates over time, it is advisable to keep them for no longer than 2 days. The test, which involved returning trained bees to their natural outdoor hives for 4 days, showed that they exhibited similar responses to the final conditioning trial. This approach establishes the optimal timeframe for bees to reliably identify S. invicta odor in practical applications, enhancing their effectiveness in detection and surveillance programs. Top Keywords Biological sensors, Invasive fire ant, Memory recall, Proboscis extension response, Solenopsis invicta. Top |